Men's basketball team has reloaded, ready for new season

Driven. Humble. Hungry. Special.

Those are just a few of the terms Eastern Florida State College men's basketball coach Jeremy Shulman has used about this year's team.

The Titans are coming off its fifth season of 28 or more wins, but head coach Jeremy Shulman thinks this year's team could be even better.

"There have been so many incredible groups that have come before this one but there is something about this group," Shulman said during the men's basketball team Media Day. "I think the motivation of getting so close last year, winning the conference championship, making it to the state championship game and fall short, getting to Hutch and coming up short there has made this team so driven. You see it in the weight room, on the court and even when they are by themselves working, they are so driven to be great, not just better, great."

Seven players are back from last year's team that made it to the Elite Eight of the NJCAA Division I National Tournament including Jonathan Ned who made the second team all Mid-Florida Conference team. Teammates Osayi Osifo and Mikal Starks played well in the JA45 event over the summer and all three have already committed to SEC schools next year.

"This group is special. The leadership the sophomores show is unique, they have gone through some turmoil that has added to that leadership," Shulman said.

They will need that leadership as the Titans will once again play one of the toughest schedules in the country with trips to Utah, Alabama and Tallahassee to face some of the best teams in the nation.

"We play this schedule because it is fun. Our guys want to play the best, they don't want to play average teams. They are competitors, as a coach, I am a competitor. We all want to play the best," Shulman said. "Secondly I believe that it does help us later in the season to play the best teams so we are ready for the conference schedule. The Mid Florida Conference is incredible, every year it is great, and this is no different. For us to win that conference, we have to work hard and do all the little things every day."

The Titans will open the regular season Nov. 1 in Fort Myers against Hinds Community College. The home opener will be Nov. 6 against TLAP Prep at 7 p.m.

You can check out the entire men's basketball schedule at efsctitans.com